Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Tuesday's Afternoon Update

Publishing group APG acquires seven Florida newspapers

Adams Publishing Group (APG) announced Monday that they purchased Sun Coast Media Group (SGMC) based in Venice, Fla. The sale includes the Venice Gondolier, the Arcadian, the West Villages Sun, the Englewood Sun, the North Port Sun, the Charlotte Sun and the Charlotte Sun Times. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. APG principal Stephen Adams said, “The SCMG newspapers are located in one of the great newspaper markets in the United States, with a solid employee group we are eager to welcome aboard our team.” More in the news release.

Other media news:
» Florida Times-Union newsroom signals intent to unionize

Disney fights over latest tax bill for Grand Floridian, other properties

Disney is once again contesting its tax bill for 11 properties, including the Grand Floridian Resort, according to three new lawsuits filed in Orange County. The Grand Floridian’s “market value increased by 286% from 2014-2015. While the value actually dropped slightly from 2016 to 2017, the current value is still based off of that original 286% increase,” a Disney spokeswoman said in an email. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Miami-Dade pursues $650 million plan to extend Dolphin Expressway

Miami-Dade County is pursuing a $650 million plan to extend the Dolphin Expressway, a logjam of a highway counted among the 50 worst in the U.S. The proposed path would pave a 13-mile-long stretch somewhere through the sprawling Bird Drive Basin wetlands, formerly part of the Everglades. The proposal is drawing opposition from both environmental groups and smart growth advocates. Expressway officials said the latest route had not yet been posted. Read more at the Miami Herald.

USF will offer bachelor's degree in cybersecurity

A new bachelor’s in cybersecurity, housed in the college’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering, is the first undergraduate degree program of its kind among Florida’s 12 public universities. “Cybercrime shows no signs of slowing down and the high demand for cybersecurity workers, coupled with a limited supply of talent, means that graduates going into the field can earn high salaries performing a variety of jobs,” said Robert H. Bishop, Dean of the USF College of Engineering. More from USF News.

Florida Highway Patrol says they're targeting aggressive drivers this summer

Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) announced it will be ticketing aggressive drivers under a new safety campaign. FHP will enforce the "Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT)" program until June 28. With this campaign, highway patrol troopers are encouraged to ticket hostile drivers that speed, tailgate and attempt unsafe lane changes. More from the FHP.

Research
FAU researchers say deep-sea sponges may hold key to antibiotic drug resistance

 Drug resistance to antibiotics is on the rise and because of this, there is an urgent need to develop new drugs to treat infectious diseases. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute may have a solution to this problem using sea sponges collected from the ocean depths. Sponges contain large populations of microbes, including actinomycetes. “We have found that deep-sea microorganisms, especially actinomycetes, are an attractive, untapped source for the discovery of anti-infective agents,” said Guojun Wang, Ph.D. » More from FAU News.

 

Wheels
Ultra-luxury Bentley to open Jacksonville dealership

Bentley$200,000 ultra-luxury Bentley automobiles, complete with hand-stitched leather and mirror-polished burl wood interior, are coming to Jacksonville. Mayor Lenny Curry joined Bentley officials Monday to reveal that one of the world’s most luxurious car companies will open its first dealership in Jacksonville by early 2019 on Bonneval Road on the Southside. » Read more from the Florida Times Union.